With so much history taking place at Wrigley Field over the past century, the Cubs have planned a season-long celebration to give fans a look and feel of the last 100 years of baseball and other events that have taken place at the historic ballpark. Between decades-themed homestands and unique promotional items, Wrigley Field’s 100th birthday, commemorative merchandise and entertainment, fans will want to plan ahead for as many Cubs games as possible to participate in this historic year.

Celebrate 10 Decades, Experience 10 Homestands

Following Opening Week, fans coming to Wrigley Field will be treated to a variety of elements of each decade at the ballpark during 10 unique homestands. These festivities include:

– Wrigley Field’s 100 Great Moments presented by Budweiser: Starting at Cubs Convention, Spring Training and continuing throughout each regular season home game, the Cubs will unveil and pay tribute to 100 great moments in Wrigley Field History. Several former athletes, performers and dignitaries associated with these moments will be honored at Wrigley Field, and fans worldwide will be able to follow these unveilings via social media.

– Historic Bobbleheads: During the first Friday home game of each decade-themed homestand, the first 10,000 fans in the ballpark will receive a never-before-produced bobblehead honoring key individuals or events from that decade. The historic bobbleheads will be unveiled to fans at Cubs Convention in January.

– Throwback Uniforms: The Cubs have partnered with Majestic Athletic to recreate throwback uniforms from significant events at Wrigley Field during each decade of the ballpark’s history. The first uniform, a 1914 Chi-Feds uniform, will be worn on the actual 100th birthday game April 23, 2014, vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks. The remaining uniforms will be worn on the “Throwback Sunday” game; the first Sunday of each corresponding decade. Fans of the visiting teams will also enjoy the vintage atmosphere, as many visiting clubs plan to wear retro uniforms as well. In addition to the Cubs’ home threads, the team will introduce an alternate road jersey for 2014 that pays homage to the team’s road jersey worn in the 1920s.

– Retro Toys: In addition to the retro uniforms, “Throwback Sunday” games will offer a great family atmosphere complete with retro toy promotional giveaways to children 13-and-under. The retro toys representing each decade will be unveiled to fans at Cubs Convention.

– Special Events Calendar: The Cubs once again will host a robust Special Events calendar for groups and individuals looking to enjoy a Cubs game while participating in a themed event. This year’s Special Events will align with each homestand’s themed decade. For instance, Golfers’ Night will take place during the 1950s homestand, when golfer Sam Snead famously hit the center field scoreboard with a golf ball while hitting his four-iron. The full list of Special Events will be revealed later this offseason and tickets will go on sale Friday, March 7, during the general on-sale at www.cubs.com/specialevents.

– Dining Through the Decades: Fans hungry for an authentic, historic visit to Wrigley Field will be able to enjoy popular food and beverage offerings from that homestand’s specified decade, thanks to the team’s partnership with Levy Restaurants. Specialty food offerings will celebrate unique Chicago flavors through the years, and items throughout the park will be served in commemorative collectable cups, helmets and more.

– Historic Guests and Game Entertainment: With so many historic events taking place at Wrigley Field, the Cubs have an opportunity to host many former athletes, relatives, representatives and dignitaries who helped shape Wrigley Field into such an iconic venue. These guests will be honored by the team and fans throughout the season in special pregame ceremonies, ceremonial first pitches and as guest 7th inning stretch conductors. Fans also will be treated to popular music from the homestand’s featured decade.

– Ballpark Décor: Wrigley Field is celebrating a milestone year and the ballpark will dress the part. Wrigley Field 100th décor will be featured throughout the exterior of the park, the concourse, field level and rooftop flags. The Wrigley Field 100th logo will be painted on the grass behind home plate and “100” will be brushed in the center field grass throughout the season. Each baseball used at Wrigley Field will be stamped with the Wrigley Field 100th logo next season, making for great foul-ball or home run souvenirs. Bases will adorn a commemorative base jewel featuring the Wrigley Field 100th logo, opponent and date. Finally, Cubs players will wear the Wrigley Field 100th patch on their jersey sleeve and side of their caps. These game-used, authenticated items will be available for purchase at Wrigley Field’s Cubs Authentics kiosk in the main concourse or www.cubs.com/authentics.

– Commemorative Ticket Designs: When Season Ticket Holders receive their tickets this year, they’ll notice themed artwork on each ticket inspired from past Wrigley Field game programs. Many of these program covers were designed by artist Otis Shepard, who served as the art director for Wrigley Gum for more than 30 years.

I dig the decades idea. I want my retro toy!

Whatever you think of the plan to renovate Wrigley Field or of the Cubs’ relative level of competitive next year, I imagine that there will be some fun things to do, see, and experience at the ballpark. Even if the Cubs are struggling, we all might as well enjoy the season in whatever ways we can.

If you are unwilling to put a winning product on the field to get the fans to the ball park, use the “Wrigley” card, some smoke and mirrors and play on the nostalgia of the fans to get their money.

Daddy should be so proud

Blackhawks1963

There are no quick fixes. Investing in a free agent or two isn’t going to change the immediate fortunes of this club. Need to wait on the fruits of the farm system to bear fruit, THEN look at free agency as the additive approach.

Patience Grasshopper.

Jeff

I’m not a young grasshopper, I’ve been waiting 40 years, enough is enough.

Tom Ricketts…….step up and make this a winning team or put it back up for sale..poser!!!

Jackson

You’re sounding like a young grasshopper. Pay attention to what’s going on with the front office and minor leagues and be excited for the future. Can’t wait for the baseball destruction parties Baez, Bryant and Almora will be having at Wrigley 2-3 years from now.

EQ76

Blackhawks – there are quick fixes.. as many have said it’s not “build the farm system up OR win at the MLB level”.. both can be done at the same time., The FO has chosen to not spend much and trade off the “assets” or veteran players each year. I’m not saying I am against the approach and I AM excited about the future, but they could have put a better product on the field the past 2 years and should be able to put a better team out there next year. Landing a guy like Tanaka or signing Choo would be a huge move towards both next year and the future. Signing a bunch of nobodys tells me that all their eggs are in the prospects basket.. now we all have to hope like hell that they all pan out or it’ll be another 10 years of irrelevancy.

Jeff

The problem is the over and under is leaning toward another 10 years of irrelevancy

EQ76

yep.. if Baez/Bryant/Soler/Almora all end up being future all stars then bravo Theo/Jed. But what if only 1 or 2 of them pan out? is this really the only plan? what if Castro and/or Rizzo don’t really rebound well? then what’s the plan?

Jeff

The problem with this approach and plan is that the pan is very small so the chances of 100% success is fools gold.

Let’s be honest and transparent here, this is Tom Ricketts cutting his operational expenses while maximizing the amount of profits he can skim from revenues.

Remember when the Tribune owned the Cubs???

I think there is a song from some British band,

“Meet the new Boss, same as the old Boss”

Brains

exactly, thank you.

this is fine, i guess. “it’s just business, right?” except he keeps crying that he’s so poor and that we can’t afford building the team because of the tribune. that kind of mockery is what angers brains.

hansman

“this is Tom Ricketts cutting his operational expenses while maximizing the amount of profits he can skim from revenues.”

Well then, he is cutting all the wrong expendatures AND doing a piss-poor job of cutting those expenses.

Stinky Pete

I would guess the front office has some kind of contingency plan. They probably just don’t talk about the plan in detail to the fans. Pretty sure.

Jeff

The Front Office’s contingency plan is the next job after jumping ship from the Cubs when their deal is up.

I’d bet the farm that Theo will leave after his five year deal is up. If he doesn’t see Rickett’s stepping up, He will politely bow out and move on.

He is at least classy enough to not go out with a tantrum even though he might be feeling,”This isn’t what I thought it would be.”

Just my two cents.

cub2014

I would be shocked if Ricketts and
Theo didnt have an agreed on plan
when he was hired. If Ricketts came
in after the fact and greatly reduced
his ability to do his job successfully he
would resign. Otherwise it would be
career suicide if he just muddled through.

Brains

i see this coming too. does theo really want the worst GM record in the history of the cubs? no one will remember him except as a big hype machine. that’s why i always return to the owners…i just don’t see why he would want to sabotage his reputation.

Voice of Reason

Brains:

Epstein could take the easy way out and sign a couple of free agents like the old regime, pack the ball park and finish in the middle to the upper part of the division and MAYBE make the playoffs every four or five years.

Epstein is biting the bullet right now. He wants to win a World Series. He is building this franchise to do just that. He did it in Boston. You have to be patient and give him time. He doesn’t want to finish in the middle to the upper part of the division he wants to win it all.

He knows that having close to or the worst losing percentage of any general manager the Cubs have right now won’t matter at all when he brings home a World Series to Wrigley Field!

Jeff

I don’t understand your Reason???

Sit on your hands and wait for Theo to deliver a winning product??

Continue losing but one season they will magically flip the switch and we will go from losing 95 games a year to winning 95???

Progress is always incremental, but I see more regression every season than progress.

Voice of Reason

Jeff,

The Cubs are in the middle of a rebuild. That means they traded away all the veterans for minor league players. They are now being patient and seeing who develops and where they will play in the major leagues. Will Bryant play right or 3b? Will Baez be at 2B or 3B or in the outfield? This is where you have to be patient.

In two years, the club will start adding free agents where they don’t have young kids. Why sign Cano this year when Alcantara could end up at second? Sure Cano is better than Alcantara, but one man does not make a baseball team (see Sosa’s past).

They need to keep all money available so when they are ready to fill holes, they can spend like drunken sailors and they will have the money to do just that! A #1 starter they could trade for or sign as a free agent. Not a problem as they will have the money. A power hitting outfielder? Same thing.

But, right now, they just don’t know what they will need so why commit the money now?

Brains

i see that, i just don’t believe it’s the whole story. i don’t think anyone does, unless they’re a doorknob.

does theo want to win? i’m sure. does he want it to be a cathartic experience in which he can take sole credit? yes. does he have a bad GM in joyer? yes. are the owners totally blocking him from making moves in his best judgement? yes.

Norm

“Sit on your hands and wait for Theo to deliver a winning product??”
–
Yup.

aaronb

How exactly did Theo “Do this in Boston”?

They won a WS in his first season. He took over a team that was coming off a 93 win season.

The cupboard wasn’t bare. He just added a couple pieces to a squad that had been a perennial playoff participant.

aaronb

This is pretty much my feeling as well.

We’ve already had plenty of examples of Theo more or less blaming his lack of action on financial ties above his paygrade.

He never seemed to be a guy who was afraid to spend money in Boston.

Why people assume that running this thing like the Royals is Theo’s grand plan makes no sense to me. He’s not the guy who writes checks at the end of the day.

YourResidentJag

Well maybe before that time Theo will go back to touring with Pearl Jam.

Blackhawks1963

I think the Cubs ARE putting all their eggs in the prospects basket. Right or wrong. But I don’t think that means they will never spend big again. Rather I think they don’t intend to spend big right now. Free agency will be the COMPLEMENT to a strong farm system, not the driver. Which I honestly agree with. I don’t see the Cubs getting Tanaka, Ellsbury, Choo or any of these other big names. I just don’t. The only “name” I think they chase is Tanaka, and even there they are probable to get seriously outbid by the Yankees and Dodgers.

EQ76

I actually agree. I don’t see them getting any of those guys either.. I love the prospects we have but it scares the hell out of me that there seems to be an all in mentality with these guys. I expect most of them to be good players and stick with us but is anyone asking them “what if they don’t all pan out?”.. What if Baez and Almora stick but Soler can’t stay healthy and Bryant flames out? Are we all okay (FO included) with it taking another 4, 5, 6 years to contend?

Voice of Reason

Blackhawk1963,

You are totally correct in your analysis.

However, they won’t ever get Tanaka. They will get outbid by other teams who need pitching to win right now. The Cubs will bid on his services as they could use him, but they don’t REALLY need him right now.

They will start being players in the free agent market and through trades after the 2014 and prior to the 2015 season.

This free agent class is horrible. Ellsbury? Choo? Please! Everyone forgets that teams can make trades with other teams who are looking to dump high priced players who are still producing.

bpaoni

You realize that the Hawks were built the same way the Cubs are building now right? The were terrible for any years, which awarded them with Toews and Kane in consecutive drafts. They developed those two as well as others drafted around them, and when they were ready the Hawks went out and got Hossa. Your argument is incredibly foolish, oh and one more thing hockey prospects are usually on the big club from the get go. Baseball specs take much longer to develop

YourResidentJag

Different sport…different comparison.

Jeff

Hockey: 6 players per team on the ice?????????

Next

ssckelley

You must not watch hockey, it takes way more than 6 guys to build a hockey team. Those 2nd and 3rd line players are just as important as the starters.

Jeff

The point is that Hockey requires fewer players compared to baseball. The development process is completely different, you cannot use another sport to use as a comparison to a completely different sport.

Do you see the Yankees or Boston after finishing in last place last year, say, Hey, let’s deconstruct this club and throw 4 years away while we draft and develop young talent????????

Hell NO! They go out and compete every year.

We TANK SEASONS…………

Ken Rosenthal just finished saying on Hot Stove that teams are so competitive now, that adding the right free agents can allow most teams to be in the chase.

He should have added, “Except the Chicago Cubs, thier owner isn’t concerned with winning”

Kyle

Ehhhh, ish.

Yes, the Blackhawks developed a crop of homegrown players and rode it to two Cups (so far), but to say they built themselves the same way the Cubs did is stretching it.

It’s not like they just decided to all of a sudden start focusing on young talent. They just finally hit on some. Before Toews and Kane, there were Skille and Barker. Becoming good at drafting suddenly isn’t the same as just deciding to trade everything you’ve got on young players.

They never stopped trying to win at the NHL level. The year they got the No. 1 pick and drafted Patrick Kane? That draft pick came in the debut seasons of Nikolai Khabibulin and Adrian Aucoin, whom they gave a free agent mega-deals.

There was none of this “first you build the foundation, then you sign big-time free agents” horsehockey (heh) with the Blackhawks.

In 07-08, the Blackhawks missed the playoffs and had the 10th best record in a 15-team league. They were just beginning to build something homegrown, but they weren’t close yet (many thought). They were just about finally out from under the bad contracts they’d signed in recent years, and many fans urged patience and letting the rebuilding process flourish on its own rather than risk any big contracts on potentially over-the-hill free agents. Did the Blackhawks go the Theo route?

Nope, they went out and gave Brian Campbell the premier deal of the offseason. Many fans at the time cried that they were mortgaging the future and that the “time wasn’t right.” You had to “build the foundation first.”

http://www.bleachernation.com salesguy

“there are quick fixes.. as many have said it’s not “build the farm system up OR win at the MLB level”.. both can be done at the same time.”

False!

Any FA now worth anything will have a QO attached to them, and will cost you a draft pick for every FA you sign, giving you long term bloated debt, and limited payroll flexibility. No Thanks! Ask the Angels how improving the team through FA has worked out for them (think they’d like to have one of those moves back?), looking for value instead of paying for past stats on the back of a baseball card is the right approach, and that’s what we’re doing.

Kyle

2nd-round draft picks are essentially meaningless.

http://www.bleachernation.com salesguy

Talk to me in a couple of years about how meaningless second round picks are when Rob Zastryzny is pitching in Wrigley.

SH

Statistics, meet a yet-to-happen anecdote.

Kyle

OK, I will.

I’ll put him next to all those other second-round picks in the lineup like …. well, surely there’s a few if we look hard enough.

Chicago4life

Jon Lester was a 2nd round pick by Theo in Boston, I think he helped them out quite a bit this year.

mjhurdle

That interested me, so I took a quick 10 minute journey to find the rounds that (most) of the contributing Cubs were drafted in last year. The names are just off the top of my head.
Definitely a couple 2nd rounders there.

Well, I mean wasn’t CJ edwards like a 400th round draft pick or something. There are always exceptions to the rules. But if you look at the % of 2nd round picks that become good major league players, a 2nd round pick is prett much meaningless when it comes to most of the FA with QO attached to them.

Get back at me when Rob Z(I am pretty high on him) is actually pitching in in the Bigs.

aaronb

I’ll pencil him next to Grant Johnson in the rotation.

bbmoney

I don’t think it’s false. But I think it’s a lot harder to do both under the new CBA than it was under the old CBA.

You can’t spend unlimited cash on the draft and pick a bunch of higher upside tough sign guys to just throw a ton of money at them anymore. You can’t spend unlimited cash in international free agency anymore. The draft spending caps make it even more of an advantage to have a bad record. The QO system of 10 protected first round picks make it an advantage to have one of the 10 worst records in baseball.

Etc. Etc. Which doesn’t mean it’s impossible to do both. But it does mean it’s harder to do both and your chances of failing while attempting to do both are higher than they were 5 years ago under the old CBA. Granted if it was easy any and everyone would be doing it, so maybe Theo and Jed should be doing it if they’re so great. But maybe they’re great enough to realize trying to do both is the low percentage play.

aaronb

The Dodgers sure seemed to use money as a nice market advantage. As have the Yankees and Red sox traditionally.

Why must the Cubs play with a hand tied behind their backs?

Voice of Reason

Jesus… why is it that this has to be explained every day?

aaronb

No need to explain…I get the gist of what you are trying to peddle.

My contention is that it’s a flawed premise.

Funn Dave

I don’t think that he was commenting on the rebuild; rather, I think he was noting that the timing of the anniversary works well as an incentive to go to the games when the team is so crappy.

“Celebrate decades of losing”!!!!
Maybe they should be more concerned with putting a winning product on the field than this nostalgia crap

bpaoni

How dare they attempt to make money so they can hang with the big boys and actually sign free agents, everyone knows you can just wiggle a magic wand get the players you want hassle free.

Jeff

“How dare they attempt to make money so they can hang with the big boys and actually not sign free agents, everyone knows you can just wiggle a magic wand get the players you want hassle free.”

There, I fixed that for you

No, I expect them to work hard for my hard earned dollar, I’m not giving it away to see a crappy product on the field

hansman

Nah, they should be completely tone deaf and not celebrate the 100th anniversay of Wrigley Field, something that everyone but Jon can enjoy.

cub2014

cobb county georgia is giving the Braves half
a billion dollars to move to the suburbs. If there
was a similiar offer for the Cubs this would get
everyone on the same page (mayor,city,rooftops,
wrigleyville). I would assume.

ssckelley

But Turner Field was not built to be a baseball stadium and does not have anything close to the historical significance of Wrigley Field. Moving to the suburbs will only cost them 200 million, which is less than what renovations to Turner Field would have cost. To me this is a no brainor and will serve the team well over the long haul.

ssckelley

They not going back to the 1800’s? I would be all over getting a John Clarkson bobble head.

Aaron

I really love this quote from Albert Almora yesterday after another AFL win where he had 3 hits. I believe at only 19 years old, the kid is maturing fast and is receiving excellent instruction from coaches as well as sound advise from Cubs prospects like Kris Bryant.

“I’m just staying calm, letting the game come to me and having a lot of fun,” Almora said. “Once you try to do too much, that’s when you start getting out of your game.”

Frank

How about brushing this on the outfield grass.
“The Race For The Bottom Part Three”

I understand the frustration and the desire to have a better product at the major league level now. I don’t think any of the top free agents are a great fit for various reasons including age, position, and the idea they would be declining while our core is emerging. There may be a couple SPs that would make sense similar to the Jackson deal with the hope of better results. Beyond that, our FA strategy is probably one of looking to catch lightening in a bottle. Trades are of course another option. These are the areas where Theo and Jed need to out smart the league but the jury is still out as to whether they have an actual edge of any kind or it’s just a bunch of hype and wishful thinking. There are plenty of brilliant guys in FOs across the league. Theo and Jed have exploited some loops holes and that’s great but it’s time to demonstrate their brilliance and creativity in a way that positively impacts the major league club in 2014. Is that really too much to ask from boy wonder?

http://www.justinjabs.com/blog/ justinjabs

This all sounds really cool. I’m definitely going to be down to a bunch of games this season. It sounds like they’re going to have something at every game if the product on the field is crap.

http://www.justinjabs.com/blog/ justinjabs

“With so many historic events taking place at Wrigley Field, the Cubs have an opportunity to host many former athletes, relatives, representatives and dignitaries who helped shape Wrigley Field into such an iconic venue.”

So, Tunney is singing the stretch once we get to the present decade?

hansman

90’s will feature Sosa taking BP and Ricketts announcing him as Assistant GM
2000’s will feature Bartman throwing out the first pitch.

AB

The 1920s will feature a Ty Cobb impersonator fans will be able to challenge to fistfights.

SH

Pumped for the throwback uniforms; I’m a real sucker for that stuff May have to make a trip to Wrigley to scout it out in person.

I wonder what the D-backs will wear, given that their only retro uniform is this:

The only thing historic about Wrigley is 100+ years of losing and trough urinals. High schools have better player facilities and we want good free agents to invest some of their careers with us? The place plays differently on many days almost demanding two different teams. Through the past 100 years the only thing that has remained constant is Wrigley and losing. Good Lord people, an ancient scoreboard, an ivy wall and some green grass is historic? I took my family to Wrigley and treasure those moments but I treasure my family not the damn park.

Jon

This ^!

Rob

Man, there are some real trolls out today.

Yes, this team will not win many games. A few more than last year would be nice, but losing is losing. That should not mean the team can’t/shouldn’t celebrate 100 years in a ballpark that people are emotionally attached to. Particularly as a season ticket holder, I am looking forward to seeing and experiencing different things at the ballpark this year. Baseball is a sport tied to tradition and history, I believe, more than any other sport – as such, why not celebrate the traditions of your favorite team and the history of their ballpark? It will be a nice diversion while we wait on some of the younger, exciting players to make their debuts over the next couple of seasons. If you cannot enjoy it, then you do not have to go to games or follow the team, but you do not gain anything by taking the enjoyment out of it for others through negative comments and conveying expectations that you know will not be met.

cavemencubbie

If I was ‘trolling’ today, I apologize. I have been a Cub fan my whole life, 77 years and counting. I patrolled the bleachers before the adults turned it into a beer drinking party and thought their juvenile behavior was cool. Perhaps along with those retro uniforms, they made the players use the same gloves they did in the old days and watch the error rate and batting average go up. My point was that if we are to win today we need modern equipment, facilities and above all thinking. I want like to see my Cubs win a WS and I don’t give a hoot about nostalgia, historic Wrigley and the ‘good old days’ in order to see it happen. i also don’t care if the Rickett’s make another fortune doing it.

Kev

Food offerings based on each decade, eh?

What are they doing for the 1930s? Cardboard? Dust? Rose of Sharon from the Grapes of Wrath?

Deez

I can’t wait for the 1984 Road Jerseys. Those are my favorite ever! I don’t understand why they don’t wear them more often.

Interesting on The Twitters

Beautiful BN Apparel

BN on Video

Post Categories

Site Archives

Get In Touch

Search

Disclaimer

In addition to news, Bleacher Nation publishes both rumor and opinion, as well as information reported by other sources. Information on Bleacher Nation may contain errors or inaccuracies, though we try to avoid them. Links to content and the quotation of material from other news sources are not the responsibility of Bleacher Nation. Photos used either are the property of Bleacher Nation, are used with permission, are fair use, or are believed to be in the public domain. Legitimate requests to remove copyrighted photos not in the public domain will be honored promptly. Comments by third parties are neither sponsored or endorsed by Bleacher Nation.

Bleacher Nation Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Bleacher Nation is a private media site, and it is not affiliated in any way with Major League Baseball or the Chicago Cubs. Neither MLB nor the Chicago Cubs have endorsed, supported, directed, or participated in the creation of the content at this site, or in the creation of the site itself. It's just a media site that happens to cover the Chicago Cubs.

Bleacher Nation is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.